As erratic weather patterns like El Niño put British gardens under growing pressure, future-proofing your outdoor space has never been more vital. The key to a resilient, low-maintenance garden lies with intelligent variety selection – choosing drought tolerant plants that are naturally equipped to withstand prolonged heat and heavy winter rainfall, once established.
Autumn offers the perfect window to fill gaps and rebuild. Planting bare-root varieties and hardy perennials allows their root systems to anchor deep into warm, damp soil long before next year’s summer heat arrives. To help you build a garden that thrives whatever the weather throws at it, our horticultural experts share their top climate-resilient recommendations below…
At a glance: 9 expert-approved plants for a climate-resilient garden
- Geranium ‘Rozanne’: Unbeatable, long-flowering groundcover that withstands both summer heat and heavy rain.
- Achillea ‘Summer Pastels’: Ultra-drought-tolerant perennial with flat flowerheads that thrive in poor, dry soil.
- Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’ (Hylotelephium): Fleshy, succulent foliage built to store water through severe dry spells.
- Camassia leichtlinii subsp. leichtlinii: Extremely hardy bulb that tolerates damp winter soil and wet conditions better than most.
- Geranium ‘Intense’: Vibrant, weed-suppressing perennial with exceptional resilience to hot, sun-baked borders.
- Ceanothus repens: Ever-reliable evergreen shrub providing drought-tolerant structure and intense blue summer blooms.
- Miscanthus ‘Lady In Red’: Deep-rooted ornamental grass that adds wind-resistant texture and autumn color.
- Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’: Robust, aromatic catmint that flourishes in baking heat with minimal irrigation.
- Abelia x grandiflora ‘Raspberry Profusion’: Compact, semi-evergreen shrub offering long-lasting flowers and high drought tolerance.
1. Geranium ‘Rozanne’
These saucer shaped, violet-blue blooms provide perfect ground cover
Image: Geranium ‘Rozanne’ from T&M
According to T&M’s horticultural copywriter, Annelise Brilli, Geraniums are true garden workhorses, but few can match Geranium ‘Rozanne’ for sheer staying power. In fact, this long-blooming perennial was named RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Centenary 2013. Annelise says:
“Famous for its exceptionally long flowering season, this outstanding hardy geranium keeps producing its violet-blue blooms for months, while shrugging off drought with impressive resilience. It also boasts excellent winter hardiness, making it a remarkably dependable perennial that returns year after year. With its low, spreading habit, ‘Rozanne’ is perfect for softening the front of borders or creating colourful groundcover. Reliable, resilient and exceptionally floriferous, it’s a garden stalwart that deserves a place in every border.”
2. Achillea ‘Summer Pastels’
These flat, pink flower heads combine particularly well with swaying grasses
Image: Achillea ‘Summer Pastels from T&M (© Plantipp)
One of the most resilient hardy perennials is Achillea ‘Summer Pastels’, particularly if you need something that withstands wind, sun and dry soil. According to Annelise Brilli:
“This is the ultimate choice for tricky, light sandy soils where other perennials struggle to get a foothold. Its flat, pastel flowerheads create a soft, woven tapestry of colour that sways beautifully among ornamental grasses, and it copes with coastal winds and baking summer sun without flinching.”
3. Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’
This traditional cottage garden perennial provides colour in late summer and autumn
Image: Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’ from T&M
Many sedums thrive in baking sunshine but struggle when winter brings cold, soggy conditions. But according to Annelise Brilli, this isn’t true of Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’. She says:
“This exceptionally vigorous variety takes both extremes in its stride, shrugging off summer heat and winter wet with impressive resilience. In fact, it grows so enthusiastically that after a couple of years you may find yourself dividing its expanding clump to keep it in check. The flat heads of pink flowers are irresistible to butterflies.”
4. Camassia leichtlinii subsp. leichtlinii
These spires of starry white spring flowers thrive in damp borders
Image: Camassia leichtlinii subsp. leichtlinii from T&M
“When choosing plants for a changing climate, I’m increasingly looking for those that can cope with a range of conditions rather than simply being tolerant of heat or drought,” says Lance Russell, horticultural expert at T&M. Flower bulbs might not be the first thing that come to mind when it comes to future-proofing your garden for climate change, but Camassia leichtlinii subsp. leichtlinii is one of his top picks, an extremely hardy perennial bulb that thrives in damp winter soil and full sun. He says:
“Camassia remains criminally underrated in British gardens, yet it’s one of our finest answers to damp, heavy soils. Its tall, elegant, creamy-white spires rise cleanly above silvery foliage. Planted against a dark, dramatic backdrop, it’s absolute magic!”
5. Geranium ‘Intense’
For vibrant groundcover, you can’t beat hot pink Geranium ‘Intense’
Image: Geranium ‘Intense’ from T&M (© Plantipp / Visions BV, Netherlands)
If you want sheer, unapologetic colour, Lance Russell says that the neon-pink Geranium ‘Intense’ completely steals the show in hot borders. Unlike taller magenta varieties, it forms low, lush cushions just 25cm high, making it ideal for containers and edges. Lance says:
“What I love most is its sheer adaptability. While fussier alternatives require perfect sun and drainage, this one happily copes with poor soils and partial shade, putting on a brilliant display all summer before finishing with a rich, red flush of autumn foliage.”
6. Ceanothus repens
This beautiful shrub provides early summer colour and glossy evergreen foliage
Image: Ceanothus repens from T&M
Once established, Ceanothus repens is remarkably tolerant of dry conditions and, given a sunny, sheltered position with good drainage, it can cope well with our winters too. Lance Russell says:
“Ceanothus is a particular favourite of mine because it combines resilience with real impact in the garden. Its glossy evergreen foliage provides year-round interest, while the incredible display of blue flowers in late spring and early summer is a real highlight. I love plants that look as though they’re working hard without needing too much from the gardener, and Ceanothus is a great example of that. Beautiful, wildlife-friendly and well suited to a more unpredictable climate.”
7. Miscanthus ‘Lady In Red’
Graceful and colourful, this grass adds drama to any garden
Image: Miscanthus ‘Lady in Red’ from T&M (© Plantipp)
As a response to Britain’s changing climate, the horticultural industry is constantly developing new and improved varieties of popular plants. Miscanthus ‘Lady in Red’ is one of the newest and most amazing of these. According to Gavin Shaw, lead buyer at T&M, this hardy perennial is a must for year-round interest. He says:
“What sets ‘Lady in Red’ apart is the sheer drama of its winter persistence. Most grasses fade quietly, but this one holds its structure right through the barest months – its silvery plumes catch the low winter sunlight in a way that’s almost translucent, framed by deep burgundy foliage. It’s a great way to enjoy structure and movement when the rest of the garden is sleeping.”
8. Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’
These beautiful lilac-blue flower spikes rise from mounds of silvery foliage
Image: Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ from T&M
Also known as catmint, Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ is a popular, clump-forming perennial that makes a versatile addition to any garden. A particularly good way to fill gaps caused by drought damage, Gavin Shaw says it thrives in almost any soil and can be trained to cope with dry periods by watering deeply, but not too frequently. He says:
“There’s a reason this remains a cottage garden icon, but for me, it’s all about how it softens hard landscape lines. Plant it along a pathway and it spills over the edges in these sweeping, silvery-blue clouds that release a glorious herbal scent every time you brush past them. Plus, if you’re looking to turn your garden into a haven for pollinators, nothing draws in the bees quite like it.”
9. Abelia x grandiflora ‘Raspberry Profusion’
‘Raspberry Profusion’ flowers from spring to autumn
Image: Abelia x grandiflora ‘Raspberry Profusion’ from T&M (© Darby Nursery Stock Ltd)
This hardy shrub will reward you with months and months of interest. In fact, Abelia x grandiflora ‘Raspberry Profusion’ is one of the hardest working and most attractive varieties you can choose if you’re looking for a low-maintenance shrub that’s resilient to climate change. Gavin Shaw says:
“What makes ‘Raspberry Profusion’ so extraordinary is that its show doesn’t end when the petals drop. Long after the tubular flowers finish, those rich raspberry-red sepals linger right through late autumn, keeping the bush vivid while the bronze-purple winter foliage takes over. It gives you months of sweet, honeyed scent that keeps the border humming with bees from spring straight through to the first frosts.”
Future-proofing your garden against climate change means selecting resilient plants that tolerate both summer drought and winter rain. Autumn is the best season to plant hardy perennials and bare-root stock, as mild temperatures and moist soil encourage strong root development ahead of spring. Visit our advice hub for more information and advice on drought-proof plants and enter our giveaway to win a bundle of climate-change plants here.
Horticultural Contributors:
- Lance Russell is Brand Sales Lead at Thompson & Morgan. He has had a lifelong passion for gardening, developing his interest from an early age and later gaining formal horticultural qualifications at Sparsholt College. Lance previously worked in garden centres and wholesale horticulture before joining Thompson & Morgan in 2018 as a management trainee, progressing to a senior sales leadership role focused on client and brand growth.
- Gavin Shaw is Lead Buyer at T&M. He studied Ornamental Horticulture at Myerscough College before embarking on a career in the horticultural industry that has spanned more than 25 years. Gavin previously worked for several large nurseries before taking up a senior position at Thompson & Morgan.
- Annelise Brilli is the Horticultural Copywriter for Thompson & Morgan. Annelise caught the gardening bug from her mother, whose tiny backyard was crammed with a huge collection of plants. As an adult, she had a career change into horticulture, gaining a training apprenticeship with the National Trust at Powis Castle Garden in Welshpool. She went on to work in a range of private and public gardens, later running a garden design and maintenance business. She is passionate about sustainable gardening and has developed her own wildlife-friendly garden which she has opened as part of Macmillan Coastal Garden Trail.
The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.